5 Suspicious Packages Planted in Boston

BOSTON (AP) -- At least seven suspicious devices planted near bridges and other spots around Boston forced the shutdown of major roads, a bridge and a stretch of the Charles River on Wednesday before authorities concluded the objects were not bombs.

"It's a hoax -- and it's not funny," said Gov. Deval Patrick.

The exact nature of the objects was not disclosed. But authorities said some looked like circuit boards or had wires hanging from them.

The first device was found at a subway and bus station underneath Interstate 93, forcing the shutdown of the station and the highway.

Later, police said four calls, all around 1 p.m., reported devices at the Boston University Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge, both of which span the Charles River, at a Boston street corner and at the Tufts-New England Medical Center.

The package near the Boston University bridge was found attached to a structure beneath the span, authorities said.

Subway service across the Longfellow Bridge between Boston and Cambridge was briefly suspended, and Storrow Drive was closed as well.

Gail Marcinkiewicz, a spokeswoman for the FBI in Boston, said: "There's no nexus to terrorism here, I can tell you that."

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